According to Football Italia, he told Radio anch'io sport: "Iniesta to Juventus? No. Barca's players aren't on the market. Iniesta will stay with us."

The Spaniard is in the final year of his deal with the club, and the Bianconeri are said to have harboured hopes of capitalising on the situation.

Iniesta has spent his entire career with the Catalan giants, and his superlative technical ability and vision have made him a key figure in the side throughout the last 15 years since he broke into the first team in 2002.

While Thomas Vermaelen is hardly an inspiring option even as fourth-choice centre-back, a loan move can help Santos further his development, and he could one day return able to contribute to the first team.